Alex Eala, Carlyn Guarde pull thru in Phinma-PSC nternational Junior Tennis

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala and Carlyn Bless Guarde got through the opening round despite a massive foreign onslaught Wednesday in the Phinma-PSC International Junior Tennis Championships Week 2 at Manila Polo Club.

The Week 1 champion crushed Japanese Yuna Kadowaki, 6-2, 6-1, to advance against Korean seventh seed Sim Chae-yun who got past fellow Filipina Alexa Joy Milliam, 6-2, 6-3.

Guarde posted a 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 victory over India’s Smiriti Bhasin even as five other Filipinas fell in the girls singles of the meet sponsored by Philippine Tennis Association, Philippine Sports Commission, Phinma Properties and Tecnifibre.

Eala, who at 13 years old is the country’s most promising talent, rode on the crest of her smashing success last week where she barrelled through taller, older opponents to secure the title.

Guarde will have an even bigger task in the second round as she will face next top seed Janine Tjen of Indonesia who booted out Tsai Yu-chin of Chinese Taipei, 6-2, 6-4.

Second seed Saki Oyama of Japan defeated Maria Gabriel Sandejas, 6-1, 6-1, to take on China’s Tian FangRan, a 6-0, 6-2 winner over Chinese Taipei’s Huang Suan.

Local bets Nina Marie Sandejas dropped to fourth seed Lu XuanJin of China, 6-0, 6-0; Tracy Llamas fell to Zheng Jie-xin of Chinese Taipei, 6-3, 6-1; Maria Patricia Lim yielded to fifth seed Ka Wing Lin of Hong Kong, 6-2, 6-0; and Macie Carlos bowed to Li JingYi of China, 6-3, 6-2.

But things looked brighter in boys singles as Nio Tria, Marcus de Rosario and Vince Ej Tugade made it to the second round late Tuesday.

Del Rosario pulled off a stunning upset of eighth seed Zhou XianYao of Chine, 3-6, 6-1, 7-5, while Tria drubbed Jerall Yasin of Indonesia, 6-3, 6-4. Tugade nipped Liu Kun of Chinese Taipei, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.